Journal box



Jane 18, 1929. p, R, DRENNiNG I 1,717,551

JOURNAL BOX Filed April 5. 1924 Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATlrrrk OFFICE.

rEEoY n. DRENNING, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AssIGNonBY MEsNE Assren- MENTS, 'ro THE sYMiMefroN coMrAnY, A coaroEATioE or MARYLAND,

JOURNAL Box.`

Application mea April 5,

The invention'relates to journal boxes for use on railway vehicles and more especially involves an improved construction of hinged lid and spring means for maintaining the same in both open and closed positions.

One of the objects of the vinvention is to` provide a one-piece lid having associated therewith a torsion spring floatingly supported by a member movably connected to the lid, said spring having an extending portion cooperating with the means pivotally connecting the lid to the journal box and also having another extending portion adapted bear against a projecting portion of the lug to which the lid is hinged.

A further obj ect of the invention is to produce a comparatively simple, strong and durable journal kbox lid, the parts of which can be easily manufactured and readily assembled whereby they will eifectively operate to maintain the lid firmly seated against the journal box while `also permitting longevity of use in the repeated lifting of the lid incident kto service conditions.

The invention further consists in the com bination, arrangement and construction of the several parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawingschosen to illustrate the mvention, wherein similar. reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views: i f j i Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a journal box constructed in accordance with the present invention` a portion of the lid thereof being shown broken away.y

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the lid and adjacent portion of the journal box to which it is hinged, said view being taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view through the coil or helix portion of the torsion spring illustrating a modifiedconstruction of supporting means Jfor said/spring extending directly from the lid. y j s Figure 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view of a portion of the spring and lid shown in Figure 3, the retaining means for said spring being shown in bent position in full lines for supporting the spring and in initial or unbent position in dotted lines.

According to the present invention the lid 1 is preferablyT formed with a central portion offset to provide a pocket or interior for receiving the double coils or helixes of the tor# tively, with which an extending portion of y the torsion spring cooperates in maintaining the lid in closed and open positions.

vThe torsion springt? is formed of spaced helixes 8, the portionof the spring intermediate said helixes being formed into a looped extension 9 .adapted to cooperate with the re# spective cams 5 and 6. A wear plate y10 is preferably clipped to the upper portion of the looped extension by means of the bent tongues 11. The ends of the torsion spring arerelatively long and curved inwardly toward the plane in which the looped extensionlies, said ends being curved or hooked at their `outer extremities and designed to bear against the pintleS. i L

Cooperating with ythespring is an arm or member 12 interposed between the helixes thereof, said arm having portions 13 projecting into said helixes and providing supports, bearings or pivots for the spring. The lower end ofthe arm is reduced and received into an opening 14 formed in an integral inwardly projecting portion 15 of the lid. said arm contacting one wall bordering said opening and acting through they springto maintain the lid in firmly seated position against the jour.-

nal box. as clearly shown in Figure 2. f f

The upper end of the arm 12 is provided with a shoeportion 16*transverselydisposed so as to bridge the looped portion yof the spring andbear against the upwardly extending portions at a point intermediate the helixes of the spring and the upper end there'- of cooperating with the cam surfaces on the lug 4. The arm or member 12 acts in the, nature of a lever floatingly connecting the spring to the `lid and operates, `throughits sliding contact with saidflid and lirm engagement with said spring, tov maintain' the former in 'open and closed positions, as occasions require. j n c InFigures 3 and l a modified construction is shown in which thehelixes ofthe torsion spring are effectively connected to the lid by means of bendableportions or tangs 17 preferably formed integral with the lid. The

i end-s oftheV tangs 17 are preferably shaped to conform yto the Y.circular contour of the coils or helixes of the spring and provide a convenient and simple means -for connecting the spring tothe lid. Y

I claim: Y

l. The combination with a journal box, of a lid, means hinging said lid to the ournal box,rmeans including a lug on the journal box for maintaining the lid in ay plurality of positions, said lug having a v plurality of faces, a torsionv spring provided with an extending portion adapted torcoact with rsaid,

faces, and anotherportion coacting with the means hinging the lid to the journalr box, and means connecting said spring to the inside of the lid. j Y

2.' The combination With a journal box, of a lid, a pin hinging said lid to the journal box, meansincluding a `lug having a plukrality of facesjfor maintaining the lid in a plurality of positions, a torsion spring provided with Van extension adapted toy coacty with said Vfaces and` another extension designed vto coact with said pin,'and means connecting the spring to said lid and nor-V Y mally covered thereby.

in a plurality of VVpositions, a torsion springl having spaced helixes and an intermediate loop" portion adapted'to coact'vvith said `3L The combination Wit-li a journal box,

of a lid, means hinging said lid to the'jourfr nal box, means including a lug on the journal boxlfor maintaining the lid in aplurality of positions, said lug having a plurality of faces, a torsionl spring providedwith] an extending portion adapted VAto coact'vvith said faces andr another portion coacting with theV means hinging the lid to theV journal box, anda member having a portion supporting the helix of said torison spring,y said member having a'portion adapted to bear on the extension of the spring coacting'vvith the faces on said lug, said member alsohaving another portion connecting thespring to the lid. v

LA journal boxV comprising a one-'piece lid, means hinging said lid to the journal box', a lug `on the journal box having a 'plurality Vof faces serving to maintainthe lid Vextension coacting with said `faces and another extension coacting `With, the means hinging said lid to the journal box, and a lever member connectingthe spring to the lid, saidV memberhaving oppositely extending portions one ofrivhich 1s movably connected to thelid andi-,the other of which is Vadapted to bear upon the extending portion of the spring coacting With the faces on said lug. Y Y 6. A journal box comprising a lid, means hinging said lid to the journal box, a lug on the journal box havinga plurality of faces serving to maintain the lid in a plurality of positions, a torsion spring provided with an extension from atorsion portion thereof coacting with said faces and another extensionAV coasting with the means hinging said lidvto the'journal box, and a member connecting said springs to the lid, said member having a projection adapted to bear upon the extending portion of the spring `between its torsion portion and that portion coacting With the faces of said lug.

7. A journal box comprising a lid, means hingingy said lid tothe journal box, a lug on' thejournal boxV having a plurality of faces serving to maintain the lid in a pluralityy of positions, aV torsion spring having vspaced helixes'and an intermediate extending loop portion therebetween adaptedto coact with said faces, said helixes having 'extending ends coasting With the meansy hinging Va lid to the journal box, and a member fulcrumed between 'said.helixes, said member having a portion connected to the lid and another portion adapted to bear on the loop exten-V hinging'saidlid to saidbox, a lug on the journal box having a plurality ofv faces serving to maintain the lid a plurality of positions, a torsionspring having spaced yhelixes and an intermediate loop portion adapted to coact With said faces, the opposite ends ofsaid helixes beingextended for coaction with the means hinging the lid to the ournal box, and means connectedwith the lid KVand engaging saidy helixes for supporting the spring, said means having a portion positionedbetween the arms of thev intermediate loop of said spring. l j l 'y Y s 9. A journal boxlidcomprising a torsion spring provided with spaced helical portions and an extension adapted to coact AWith the usual hinge lug on an associated journalbox ico having a plurality of faces. and maintain the i lid in a plurality of positions, another extension coacting With means for hinging said lid to Vthe box, andlmeanslconnecting the spring tothe lid, said latter means having oppositely extending portions embraced by said helical portions of the spring and forming bearings therefor. f

l0. In combination, a journal box provided with a hinge lug thereon,.said lug having a plurality Yof faces, a lid, means hinging. said lid to said box, a torsion spring comprising a pair of oppositely wound helical portions and provided with an extension adapted to coact wit-h the faces ofthe lug and another portion coacting with thejhinging means for the lid, and pivotal means extending in said helical portions for connecting said spring to the lid.

11. In combination, a journal box provided with a hinge lug having a plurality of faces, a pin extending through said lug, a lid, a torsion spring comprising spaced helical portions each formed of a plurality of loops and provided with an extension adapted to coact with the faces on the lug and another extension cooperating withsaid pin; and means extending in said helical portions for connecting said spring to said lid.

12. In a journal box construction, the conibination with a box proper; of a lid for closing said box; a spring bearing lug on said box; means for pivotally connecting said lid to the box; and means for applying and substantially equally distributing a pulling force to the central portion of said lid, said means including a spring element disposed entirely on the inner side of said lid, said spring having a portion thereof attached to thek box proper, another portion thereof bearing on said lug, and another portion connected to the inner side of said lid.

13. In a journal box construction, the coinbination with a journal box proper; of a lid hinged thereto; a spring disposed entirely between the lid and box; said spring having a portion thereof slidably connected to said lid on the inner side thereof 'to exert a pulling tion connected to the box proper.

14. In a journal box construction, the com-l bination with a journal box proper; of a lid for closing said box; spring means `forfpulling said lid to closed position; said means be;

ing Inova-bly connected to said lid and disposed entirely upon the inner side thereof, said means being connected to said lid for sliding movement relatively thereto during movement of the lid and means for equally distributing the force of the spring through an approximately iixed point on said lid, whereby the pressure on said lid around all the edges thereof is in the same direction.

15. A journal box comprising a lid, a lug on said box having a plurality of faces serving to maintain the lidfin a plurality of positions, a torsion spring provided with an extension coacting with said faces;and a lever member having oppositely extending portions, one of which is movably connected to the lid, and another portion of which is adapted to bear upon the spring. y

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

PERCY R. DRENNING.

e5 force centrally of said lid, andanother por- 

